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Record breaking attempt raises money for sailing charity

Dame Ellen MacArthur, patron of this year’s Official Race Charity, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust has been presented with a cheque for £6,204 by crew members from the team OneDLL who raised the money setting a new Guinness World Record for the world’s longest chain of reef knots tied in one hour by two people.

The money donated will make a huge difference to the Trust, a nationwide charity that takes young people in recovery from cancer sailing to rebuild their confidence. The £6,204 will allow the Trust to take ten more young people, aged 8-24, on a life changing, four day sailing trip around the Isle of Wight.

The event took place as part of the of the team OneDLL’s official team building weekend, ahead of the race which started from St Katharine Docks earlier this month. Exceeding the original target set by the Guinness World Record of 800, OneDLL tied an impressive 1,383 reef knots in one hour.

The chain of reef knots were made into individual bracelets and purchased on the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust stand at Race Start and the proceeds donated to the Trust.

The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is a nationwide organisation that supports young people aged 8-24 on their way to recovery from cancer. Launched in 2003 by Dame Ellen MacArthur, the Trust helps young people rebuild their confidence and independence, taking back what is often lost through cancer treatment.

On receiving the cheque from members of the OneDLL crew, Dame Ellen said:

“To be connected to the Clipper Race is really wonderful because to take young people in recovery from cancer sailing we need to raise funds. We don’t get any funding from the government or the NHS so fundraising like this is absolutely fantastic. We have the support of the crews and the race and it’s great to see how enthusiastic the crew are about the Trust and what we do, the record breaking and the race itself.”

Kristie Reid, a young person who has previously sailed with the Trust, is on board the GREAT Britain entry on Leg 1 from the UK to South America as an Ambassador for the Trust. All 12 race teams are encouraged to fundraise for the Trust throughout the race.